Heroic Values In The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Beowulf

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The two cultures I chose to compare heroic values for are the ancient stories of Gilgamesh and Beowulf. Although they possess many similar heroic characteristics they also differ greatly. Beowulf is often referred to as the first important work of literature in English, even though it was written in Old English. The world that Beowulf depicts and the heroic code of honor that defines much of the story is a relic of pre–Anglo-Saxon culture. The hero of The Epic of Gilgamesh was an actual historical figure, a king who reigned over the Sumerian city-state of Uruk around 2700 B.C.
In the epics Gilgamesh and Beowulf both heroes go on quest. Gilgamesh seeks eternal life, while Beowulf seeks glory. There are multiple steps to a Hero’s Journey, such as, the departure, the initiation, and the return. These three steps are evident in the stories of Beowulf and Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is the wisest, strongest, and most handsome of mortals, the King of Uruk, he is two-thirds god and one-third man. He built magnificent temple towers, surrounded his city with a monumental high wall, and laid out its orchards and fields. He is a tyrannical king who works his people to death and takes what he wants from them. The people of Uruk complain to the gods for peace. The goddess of creation, Aruru, creates another man just like Gilgamesh, so that the two heroes could fight and thus give Uruk peace. Aruru also creates the Warrior Enkidu and sends him to live among the animals of the hills. Once Enkidu and Gilgamesh become acquainted this is where the hero’s journey starts. The two meet in the streets of Uruk and a great fight breaks out between them. Gilgamesh is triumphant but his encounter with Enkidu changes him. Gilgamesh then enters the first step of the hero’s journey which is the crossing of the first threshold which is when he actually departs the city of Uruk and travels to the Cedar Forest. Gilgamesh gets to Cedar Forest and has to battle Humbaba, the fearsome demon who guards the Forest from mortals. While fighting Humbaba Gilgamesh demeanor starts to change, he admits that he is frightened and intimated by the monster. After defeating the monster, Gilgamesh and Enkidu return to Uruk carrying his head. After arriving back in Uruk, Ishtar the daughter of Anu, wants Gilgamesh to become her lover, Gilgamesh rejects her.
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Ishtar is upset and tells her father to release the Bull of Heaven to punish Gilgamesh. Enkindu and Gilgamesh fight the Bull of Heaven together. Gilgamesh kills the Bull with a sword. After defeating the Bull, Enkidu falls ill and suffers for twelve days before dying. Gilgamesh is upset for several days, he has now witnessed death and goes on a quest to seek immortality.
Enkidu’s death sent Gilgamesh on an adventure to fight death but he ultimately ended up learning his biggest lesson from Utnapishtim, who was granted immortality by the gods. Gilgamesh finds Utnapishtim and tells him that he wishes to attain immortality. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh that immortality is only for the gods. Gilgamesh learns to appreciate life every day and mortals must learn to accept death. Humans are meant to die. Gilgamesh finally leaves with Urshanabi to return to Uruk. He admires Uruk and appreciates his life and kingdom much more. Beowulf is described as a perfect hero who fights for his people and vanquishes evil with his extraordinary abilities to bring peace and justice. He had amazing physical strength, he didn’t fear death, and he good ability to put his people’s welfare before his own. In his youth, Beowulf is a great warrior, characterized predominantly by his strength and courage. The Danes, the people of Denmark, suffer many years of fear, danger, and death at the hands of Grendel.
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Grendal is a horrible demon who lives in the swamplands of Hrothgar’s kingdom. Hrothgar calls upon a noble warrior, Beowulf. Beowulf is a warrior who is far better than any other warrior in fighting, skill and bravery. Beowulf knows that the kingdom of King Hrothgar needs his help so he departs his home in southern Sweden to Denmark. Among arriving to Denamrk, Beowulf and his men are greeted by the members of Hrothgar’s court. Unferth, a Danish than, doubts Beowulf’s past achievements. So Beowulf proves a point to him by fighting

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